A few months ago I was scrolling through Instagram feeling extremely envious and embarrassed. Looking at photos of all my friends at the beach and celebrities with their boyfriends, I felt like my life was boring compared to theirs. Why were their lives so fascinating? Why don't I look like this? What am I doing wrong? The more I reflected on my use of social media, I realized that people only post the attractive parts of their lives. They only post photos of them lying on the beach on vacation or walking downtown in a cute dress on date night, not about their mental illness or the times they cried themselves to sleep at night because life wasn't the way they were. They. way. While it may seem on social media that our lives aren't as appealing as others, we don't know everything that happens in another person's life, and we shouldn't base how we feel about ourselves on other people's Internet facades. People fill their social media lives with only the best. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe American Academy of Pediatrics published a study on a phenomenon called "Facebook Depression." This is when people show clinical signs of depression after using social media. Some may not think that browsing your news feed or other people's photos can't affect trust, but it does. You may not be aware of it, but when you look at other people's photos it's natural to make assumptions about them - things like "that vacation is so nice", "he has a really nice car" and "they always have such a nice car" nice clothes" . The more you make assumptions, the more it affects your self-esteem and the more envious you feel. A study by the Center for Eating Disorders showed that after being on social media, users between the ages of 16 and 40 were more aware of their bodies. 51% said they felt more aware of their weight after spending time on Facebook, and more than a third wanted to make changes to specific body parts on themselves. They're a lot of sad people. German researcher Mark Wilson calls this the “self-promotion-envy spiral,” and it occurs when users compare themselves to the people they follow. This makes you feel like you're not good enough in your life and significantly compromises your confidence. Using filters and posting only the "happiest" photos makes you (and all of us) feel like we're missing out. However, when talking to my friend Sarah, she said she loves social media because it makes her feel more confident and loved. She said that whenever she's feeling a little down about herself, she'll post a photo and watch as all the likes and comments fill her feed. Comments like "wow, you're so cute" or "I wish I had your life." According to Sarah, Instagram creates a sense of belonging and acceptance because you can post whatever you want and people will compliment you for “being yourself.” A study conducted by Cornell University showed that social media sites like Facebook and Twitter “remind us of who we really are, and Facebook can show a positive version of ourselves.” This leads people to see a more positive picture of their life when they see all the photos of their trips, birthdays, dates, concerts and evenings all grouped together, which makes them feel nostalgic and fulfilled. Please note: This is just an example Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Contrary to Sarah, I believe social media kills trust. There are many more negative effects than positive ones when using i.